*Once More Into The Time Capsule, Part Two- The New York Folk Revival Scene in the Early 1960’s-Dave Van Ronk

Happy Birthday To You-

By Lester Lannon

I am devoted to a local folk station WUMB which is run out of the campus of U/Mass-Boston over near Boston Harbor. At one time this station was an independent one based in Cambridge but went under when their significant demographic base deserted or just passed on once the remnant of the folk minute really did sink below the horizon.

So much for radio folk history except to say that the DJs on many of the programs go out of their ways to commemorate or celebrate the birthdays of many folk, rock, blues and related genre artists. So many and so often that I have had a hard time keeping up with noting those occurrences in this space which after all is dedicated to such happening along the historical continuum.

To “solve” this problem I have decided to send birthday to that grouping of musicians on an arbitrary basis as I come across their names in other contents or as someone here has written about them and we have them in the archives. This may not be the best way to acknowledge them, but it does do so in a respectful manner.   

Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip of Bob Dylan performing "He Was A Friend Of Mine", a song that he learned from Dave Van Ronk.

CD Review

Washington Square Memoirs: The Great Urban Folk Revival Boom, 1950-1970, various artists, 3CD set, Rhino Records, 2001

"Except for the reference to the origins of the talent brought to the city the same comments apply for this CD. Rather than repeat information that is readily available in the booklet and on the discs I’ll finish up here with some recommendations of songs that I believe that you should be sure to listen to:

Disc Two: Dave Van Ronk on “He Was A Friend Of Mine” and You’se A Viper”, The Chad Mitchell Trio on “Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream”, Hedy West on “500 Miles”, Ian &Sylvia on “Four Strong Winds”, Tom Paxton on “I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound”, Peter, Paul And Mary on “Blowin’ In The Wind”, Bob Dylan on “Boots Of Spanish Leather”, Jesse Colin Young on “Four In The Morning”, Joan Baez on “There But For Fortune”, Judy Roderick on “Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?”, Bonnie Dobson on “Morning Dew”, Buffy Sainte-Marie on “Cod’ine” and Eric Von Schmidt on “ Joshua Gone Barbados”."

Dave Van Ronk on “He Was A Friend Of Mine” and You’se A Viper”. There is no way to truly discuss the roots, toots and hoots of what went on in the folk revival scene in the lower depths of Greenwich Village in the early 1960s without a tip of the hat to the “Mayor” of McDougall Street, Dave Van Ronk. Not only did he give Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton and others a leg up on what was happening in his home town but he took seriously, very seriously the study of the roots of folk music (and other genres). If you want to get the barest taste of his encyclopedic knowledge on this subject get your hands on what turned out to be his last live album, “..and the tin can bended, and the story ended”, a work that is interspersed with great songs and very nice stories about this period, his role in it and that of others as well. I’ve created a mini-furor among the "keepers" of his shrine for criticizing his apolitical stance in performances from a very political man (a hard Trotskyist in his youth waging battle against the local New York City Stalinists, not a simple task even in the 1950s) and I still maintain that criticism but as a performer and historian he was a piece of work.

He Was A Friend Of Mine-Bob Dylan lyrics

He was a friend of mine
He was a friend of mine
Every time I think about him now
Lord I just can't keep from cryin'
'Cause he was a friend of mine

He died on the road
He died on the road
He never had enough money
To pay his room or board
And he was a friend of mine

I stole away and cried
I stole away and cried
'Cause I never had too much money
And I never been quite satisfied
And he was a friend of mine

He never done no wrong
He never done no wrong
A thousand miles from home
And he never harmed no one
And he was a friend of mine

He was a friend of mine
He was a friend of mine
Every time I hear his name
Lord I just can't keep from cryin'
'Cause he was a friend of mine.

Copyright ©1962; renewed 1990 MCA

*Once More Into The Time Capsule, Part One-The New York Folk Revival Scene in the Early 1960’s-Bob Gibson

Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip of Bob Gibson performing "Where I'm Bound".

CD Review

Washington Square Memoirs: The Great Urban Folk Revival Boom, 1950-1970, various artists, 3CD set, Rhino Records, 2001

"Except for the reference to the origins of the talent brought to the city the same comments apply for this CD. Rather than repeat information that is readily available in the booklet and on the discs I’ll finish up here with some recommendations of songs that I believe that you should be sure to listen to:

Disc One; Woody Guthrie on “Hard Travelin’”, Big Bill Broonzy on “Black , Brown And White”, Jean Ritchie on “Nottamun Town”, Josh White on “One Meat Ball” Malvina Reynolds on “Little Boxes”, Cisco Houston on “Midnight Special”, The Weavers on “Wasn’t That A Time”, Glenn Yarborough on “Spanish Is A Loving Tongue”, Odetta on “I’ve Been Driving On Bald Mountain”, The New Lost City Ramblers on “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down”, Bob Gibson and Bob Camp on “Betty And Dupree”, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott on “San Francisco Bay Blues”, Peggy Seeger on “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, Hoyt Axton on “Greenback Dollar” and Carolyn Hester on “Turn And Swing Jubilee”."

Bob Gibson and Bob Camp on “Betty And Dupree”. I have promised elsewhere in reviewing a CD of a trio including Tom Paxton and Bob Gibson done in Chicago the early 1980s (I think) that knocked me to review more of Bob Gibson’s work. I have not done so as yet but this version of the old country blues classic of a man who done wrong to do right by his woman only makes me think that I had better get to it soon. Bob Gibson, the more I read and hear, is one of those seminal figures who had much more talent that he could usefully use and therefore burned himself up in other pursuits. However, along the way everybody and their brother (or sister) wanted to know every single thing that Gibson knew. Hell, I think I do too.

Betty And Dupree
Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional

This is only listed as having been played once by the Dead, in 1966, but was probably played on other occasions then.

Betty told Dupree, honey I will be your wife
Betty told Dupree, honey I will be your wife
Well we will be married, be happy all of our life

Wake up Betty, see what tomorrow brings
Wake up Betty, see what tomorrow brings
Well it might bring sunshine, and then it might bring rain

Betty told Dupree, honey I want a diamond ring
Betty told Dupree, honey I want a diamond ring
Dupree said Betty, honey I'll buy you anything

Betty told Dupree, honey I will be your wife
Betty told Dupree, honey I will be your wife
Well we will be so happy for the rest of our lives

Wake up Betty, see what tomorrow brings
Wake up Betty, see what tomorrow brings
Well it might bring sunshine, and then it might bring rain

It was also recorded by Pigpen with Jorma in 1964 (Jorma on vocals and guitar, Pig on harp).
Jorma/Pigpen version

Oh Betty told Dupree, I want a diamond ring
Now Betty told Dupree, I want a diamond ring
Dupree told Betty, Lord I'll get you most anything

He got himself a pistol, it was a forty-four
He got himself a pistol, it was a forty-four
Now to get that diamond ring, Lord he had to rob that jewellery store

Now the police caught him, carried him back to that county jail
Oh yes the police caught him, carried him back to that county jail
And they said go call your sweetheart, tell her to come and go your bail

Now Betty came to see him, but his face she could not see
Now Betty came to see him, but his face she could not see
And she said, mister jailer, give him this note from me

Oh babe I came to see you, but I could not see your face
Now babe I came to see you, but I could not see your face
You know I love you baby, just can't take your place

For completeness, here is another, fuller, traditional version.
Traditional version

Betty told Dupree, "I want a diamond ring"
Betty told Dupree, "I want a diamond ring"
Dupree told Betty, "l'Il give you most anything"

He said, "Lie down, little Betty, see what tomorrow brings"
He said, "Lie down, little Betty, see what tomorrow brings"
It may bring sunshine, may bring you that diamond ring

Then he got his pistol, went to the jewelry store
Then he got his pistol, went to the jewelry store
Killed a policeman and he wounded four or five more

Then he went to the post office to get the evening mail
Then he went to the post office to get the evening mail
Sheriff caught poor Dupree and put him in that old Atlanta jail

Dupree's mother said to Betty, "Look here what you done done"
Dupree's mother said to Betty, "Look here what you done done"
Made my boy rob and steal, now he is gonna be hung

Betty went to the jailhouse, she could not see Dupree
Betty went to the jailhouse, she could not see Dupree
She told the jailer, "Tell him these words for me"

I come to see you, baby, I could not see your face
I come to see you, baby, I could not see your face
You know I love you, but I cannot take your place

Sail on, sail on, sail on, Dupree, sail on
Sail on, sail on, sail on, Dupree, sail on
You don't mind sailing, you'll be gone so doggone long

Ramblin' Boy- Tom Paxton And Friends

CD REVIEW

Best Of Friends, Tom Paxton, Anne Hill, Bob Gibson, Appleseed Records, 2004

The following paragraphs are from a review of Tom Paxton’s Greatest Hits CD that I reviewed in this space last year and that is germane to a review of this album- at least to Tom Paxton’s role in it.

“If I were to ask someone, in the year 2008, to name a male folk singer from the 1960’s I would assume that if I were to get an answer to that question that the name would be Bob Dylan. And that would be a good and appropriate choice. One can endlessly dispute whether or not Dylan was (or wanted to be) the voice of the Generation of ’68 but in terms of longevity and productivity he fits the bill as a known quality. However, there were a slew of other male folk singers who tried to find their niche in the folk milieu and who, like Dylan, today continue to produce work and to perform. The artist under review Tom Paxton is one such singer/songwriter.

The following is a question that I have been posing in reviewing the work of a number of male folk singers from the 1960’s and it is certainly an appropriate question to ask of Tom Paxton as well. I do not know if Tom Paxton, like his contemporary Bob Dylan, started out wanting to be the king of the hill among male folk singers but he certainly had some things going for him. A decent acoustic guitar but a very interesting (and strong) voice to fit the lyrics of love, hope, longing and sometimes just sheer whimsy, as in the children’s songs, that he was singing about at the time. I would venture however, given what I know of his politics and the probably influence that his good friend the late folksinger and historian Dave Van Ronk had on him, that the answer above is probably no.”

Well, those points made above apply to him here as well. Except that instead of just posing the question to Tom Paxton it is also a question that one can ask of the late Bob Gibson who, arguably, was as influential as anyone in the early 1960’s folk revival. I will, when I can find some of his material, do a separate review on his work. Added here as well is the very fine voice of Anne Hall whom I was very unfamiliar with prior to listening to this CD. I will also make up for that lack at a later time. For now though, this is a very fine CD based on collective work that this trio did for a short time on the Chicago folk circuit in the mid-1980s. Most of the material was written by Paxton, including works containing his funny political slant, but the real treat is the almost seamless harmony done on the songs.

Outstanding here are “The Death Of Stephen Biko (a black activist murdered while in custody in South Africa in the 1970’s); “And Loving You”; “She Sits On The Table” (a gripping and compelling tale of domestic abuse and the sometimes no way out dead end that women find themselves in with abusive men); and, Tom’s classic “Ramblin’ Boy”. Nice stuff, and you will be seeing more about all of these artists in this space this year.